He Said Always
by SunKrux
Summary: Marguerite has a horrible nightmare. Will Roxton be able to help her forget it?


**Drabble for: stoicana** on lj – she asked for Marguerite but little did she know that in my brain, with my muse, it's hard to write just Marguerite alone…so she's getting Lord John Roxton as well. Deal sto. Deal. ;)

**Thanks to**: DNash for betaing.

**Setting:** Sometime in the mythical Season 4 and in this reality of the series, _Heart of the Storm_ didn't happen because let's face it that is the shittiest series ender ever. References S1 eps – _Resurrection_ and S3 eps - _Trapped_.

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He found her sitting in her favorite spot on the balcony, a small couch facing the jungle.

"What are you doing up, John?" she asked when she heard him walking towards her.

"I should ask you the same thing," he responded, moving closer.

Marguerite sighed as she moved over a little indicating to him that he was free to join her should he choose. Roxton sat down without a word.

"Did I wake you?" the dark-haired heiress whispered.

"Not really. It's a little too hot to sleep tonight. Care to tell me about it?" the rugged lord asked.

"Tell you about what?" Marguerite asked.

"The nightmare you just had, that has you up at this hour."

"What makes you think I…"

"Had a nightmare? I heard you." The dark-haired hunter put his arm around her shoulders.

Marguerite closed her eyes but quickly opened them again as the images of her nightmare came rushing back. "We were out gathering some rubber sap for Challenger. We were all leaving and he needed more rubber for the balloon. While out in the jungle, we came across conquistadors who thought you were a pirate."

"Me, a pirate?" Roxton laughed.

"Do you want to hear this or not?"

She looked at him, and he thought she looked angry and a little scared.

"Of course. I'm sorry. Please continue," he encouraged.

"They tried to capture you, but we got away. Then they chased us and we hid. While we were hiding, an odd shimmering wave separated us. You disappeared. I was left standing in the jungle alone. Some Druids appeared. They hauled me off to that cave we got trapped in." She knew he would know which of the many caves they'd been trapped in over the years she meant, but she felt the need to say anyway. To be certain he understood the terror of her nightmare. "The one with the body of a woman who might be an ancestor of mine," Marguerite stood up and moved to the balcony rail. Leaning on it and looking out into the dark jungle, she finished telling him about her nightmare.

"Several of them picked me up and put me on an alter. I fought them, but they held me down. The leader started raving about bringing back the light and that I had to die in order to bring it back. They all thought I was Morrigan and that I had to die. I called for you…but you weren't there. I tried to break free, but they were too strong. The Druid High Priest raised his knife..." She stifled a shudder at the remembered image of the gleaming blade suspended above her. She forced herself to finish. "Just before he could… sacrifice me, I woke up."

Roxton sat and listened to her, with his heart aching, as she shared this latest nightmare. He joined Marguerite at the rail when she finished.

"That was some nightmare Marguerite. You know it never happened, right?" he teased her, trying to ease her distress.

Marguerite let out a frustrated sigh. "Of course I know it never happened. But it felt real. And you weren't there." She stared out at the dark jungle. When she spoke again, it was so quietly that Roxton had to lean in to hear her. "You're always there to get me out of trouble."

"Is that why you're angry at me?" he asked moving closer.

Marguerite turned to him. "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at me because I've let myself get used to the fact that you're always there getting me out of trouble. I hate that."

"You hate that I save you?"

"Yes…no, not all the time. Sometimes I feel like I've become too dependent on you and that's what I hate," she declared.

Roxton looked at her as he took one of her hands in his. "Marguerite, you've always been there to get me out of trouble, too, you know. It's what we do, we help each other. You've helped me get past the guilt and aguish of losing my brother. You've saved my life countless times."

"I shouldn't be so dependent on you though. Once we get back to London…"

"Marguerite, we've already discussed that. I'm not leaving you, ever, whether you like it or not."

"And I've told you, John, that the people I will no doubt have to deal with when we get back will think nothing of hurting you to get to me. I won't do it. I won't be responsible for you getting hurt. Or worse." She tried to pull away. Roxton held onto her hand and pulled her closer.

"Marguerite, I will take full responsibility for anything that happens to me when we get back to London. I'm not letting you go."

"How will you take responsibility if you're dead?" she snapped, her worry for him making her short tempered. Marguerite looked up at him, her green eyes filling with tears. Her nightmare reminded her of just how much she loved this man. The thought of losing him, of him not being there, scared her. She had always prided herself on being strong and independent. Not relying on anyone to take care of her. But in the four short years of being trapped on the godforsaken Plateau, Marguerite Krux had finally met the one person she wanted to rely on, and that scared her. What if he let her down like everyone else in her life had? What if he decided that after all the years he'd spent breaking down her walls, he no longer wanted anything to do with her? Those thoughts frightened her because she had come to rely on the fact that Lord John Roxton would always be there for her.

Roxton pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "Marguerite, I love you and I'm not going anywhere. Someone has to set you straight," he whispered as he kissed the top of her head.

Reluctantly at first, Marguerite let Roxton pull her into an embrace, but once there, she knew resisting was useless. She wrapped her arms around him and held him just as tightly as he held her. He could feel her smile when he told her he loved her.

"I love you, too, John. But I hate feeling like I'm some weak and needy woman."

Roxton chuckled softly. "You are not weak or needy, Marguerite. There's no harm in you accepting help from those around you."

Sighing, Marguerite looked up. "I know, but after years of being on my own and being the only one to take care of me, sometimes when you or the others help, I feel like I am. I'm still not used to it. What if something does happen to you? It scares me because I honestly think I'd be lost without you."

"Marguerite, when we first got here, I thought nothing of taking foolish risks that might have ended my life. But because of you helping me see that I really wasn't to blame for my brother's death, I stopped taking such risks. Thanks to you, I'm no longer the selfish, guilt-ridden man I was. So again, I'm not going anywhere if I can help it. I won't leave you."

"You probably would have gotten to where you are by yourself eventually. I didn't do anything special," she said unable to let go of the argument that easily.

"Not true. You listened to me and reminded me that I really wasn't to blame in my brother's death. So, I'm just doing my job, setting you straight. It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it," he teased gently.

"That's what you said after our run in with Osric."

"I know and just remember, I did say 'always'."

Smiling, Marguerite hugged him tighter.

**The End**


End file.
